We saw Google Voice integration go live last night, but it contained a number of issues which this update is expected to fix. Yet as exciting as this is, what's more immediately striking is the new visual redesign.

What's New

With the amount of smudging this post required, I feel like I've been working on classified documents. The new version of Hangouts plasters your email address absolutely everywhere. It's not an issue when using the app, but it does make for some rather swirly screenshots.

Right out of the gate, the new UI is significantly greener. As Google prepares Hangouts for the next version of Android, it has made the app much more colorful, and the toolbar now has a vibrancy that it previously did not. Functionality-wise, the more pressing change here is the addition of tabs. By default, there are two: a contacts tab and one listing your previous chats. Swiping now switches between tabs, so the old swipe-to-archive functionality has kicked the bucket.

If you install the new Hangouts Dialer, the number of tabs jumps to three. Despite its own Play Store presence, the Dialer isn't its own dedicated app. It merely links to Hangouts' voice tab. Enjoy the extra icon in your app drawer.

Google Voice integration makes its presence known within the app's settings. If you meander over, you will come across the option to ring Hangouts for incoming calls to your Google Voice number.

According to the provided Google support page for integrating Voice with Hangouts, when new voicemail messages arrive, a new unread notification will appear at the top of the Hangouts list with the voicemail icon in the message. You can then click on the play icon to listen to the message.

We've waited a long time for this, so if you haven't already done so, feel free to scroll down and show any of the three mirrors below how badly you've wanted to access Google Voice from Hangouts.

Download

The APK is signed by Google and upgrades your existing app. The cryptographic signature guarantees that the file is safe to install and was not tampered with in any way. Rather than wait for Google to push this download to your devices, which can take days, download and install it just like any other APK.

Is it just me or does the app feel very .. Cluttered? Too many horizontal separators and the spacing seems inconsistent with Google guidelines ...

duse

Yes. Where you send a message it says "SMS" on the left, then "Send SMS to ### from my number," all in the message box. Extremely cluttered. And when you start typing, the box is not a single line high anymore but instead like 1.5 lines high. I didn't think this was possible, but the UI is actually worse than old Hangouts.

sup

Hopefully this is just placeholder design til Android L officially drops. They were prolly concerned more with getting functionality right before anything else.

garychencool

Another feature most people probably don't know about: tap and hold a message, select View details and you can see when that message was sent. Before it was just Copy text.

seeingwhite

Is there anyone else who hasn't gotten the integration option yet?

patrick

i havent gotten the integration yet either

Indianajonze

not here yet either. research concludes there's no way to force it, just have to wait for google to turn it on on their end. sucks

David Fleck

I have not received the integration either. I'm wondering if those of us that integrated our Sprint numbers with Google Voice will have a harder time with this. Any Sprint/GV integrated users receive the Hangout Integration invite?

TBolt

First time an AP link has taken me to an apk that splashes my screen with fake infection notices about hornyworm apk, etc, etc.

I thought I could always trust AP for quality links. What's up?

Hamad Is’haq Awan

Forgive me for being the millionth person to ask this but, if I install an APK manually, will it still get updates from the Play Store in future?

Lalit Mali

Yes it will

sfsd

AP should add the answer to this question in this paragraph:

"The APK is signed by Google and upgrades your existing app. The cryptographic signature guarantees that the file is safe to install and was not tampered with in any way. Rather than wait for Google to push this download to your devices, which can take days, download and install it just like any other APK."

peeps keep asking this for every apk posted on AP.

Timbo

I'm not sure if it will solely use data, but I checked with airplane mode on and a wifi connection. This will make a call over (I'm assuming) VOIP without any cellular connection. As to whether it uses the cellular connection when available, I don't know.

Timbo

Whoops wrong thread... sorry!

Fatal1ty_93_RUS

Where the help his dual pane view on Tablets? Wtf google

pfmiller

Wtf, that's garbage.

Nick Yarosz

Give it time. I'm sure they'll iterate again shortly.

Phazonclash

Google/Android, I love you. Both!

Owen Finn

When I dial out using this, will it be VOIP, or will Google Voice call my phone back and use minutes?

Timbo

I'm not sure if it will solely use data, but I checked with airplane mode on and a wifi connection. This will make a call over (I'm assuming) VOIP without any cellular connection. If it uses the cellular connection when available, I don't know.

Chris G

it does use cellular data. to dial out using minutes you would have use the regular dialer with the appropriate GV settings turned on.

Marshall

And still no way to get a sound notification for sms received while on call.. Or am I missing something ?

Tony

I got prompted for a new permission to "disable lock screen" Is that normal?

Thomas’

Noes! It's the dangerous "lock screen is disabled" malware!!11

Tony

Herp derp, i thought it already required that permission to answer Hangouts calls when one came in and the device was locked. Just surprised to see it asking for that sole permission again.

Now when I try to delete a message by press and hold the icon from the top just comes and desepire. You can't delete a message from list .

Netwern

Would be great if Google fix the online/offline indicator. Also, if the person is not connected to the internet or not using the Hangouts app, automatically disable the voice/video call, so we don't have be like an idiot call and keep waiting for the caller to respond.

I am not getting any text messages as of this morning when sent to my Google Voice number. I can apparently send them, but I'm not receiving any. Is this due to this change? I never got prompted in Hangouts to integrate GV yet.

blakeolson

is anyone able to send a text from your google voice number via hangout?

CoreRooted

You have to wait for Google to upgrade your GV account on the backend. There is no timetable or release time-frame for the roll-out that has been given to users.

Randy Strye

33 hours later and still no integration pop-up. yes, i'm counting the hours :(

pfmiller

I wouldn't be surprised if some users take up to a week. This is Google after all, they love to torture their hardcore users with these protracted rollouts.

Chad Knasinski

I finally just deleted Hangouts 2.3 and the Dialer and decided to just wait until the migration (Blue Box) shows up. I get that they need to roll these out in stages but come on, should be out in full by now.

duffyhatesyou

I miss the horizontal sliding actions that let me return to Conversations or Archive a convo.
The + button is really confusing when it propels you to the left instead of the right.

patrick

you can still do the horizontal sliding action if you want to move from screen to screen. just move your finger across the screen and it works.

duffyhatesyou

Yeah, to go from Conversations to Contacts.... at the expense of the quick Archive button, which I use far more often (people contact me more than I contact them).
The + button already moves me there. So does the HUGE tab bar. I lost a lot at the expense of a small, unnecessary addition.

Netwern

Round icon just doesn't make sense, please stick to square and stop messing things up Google!

pfmiller

The icon hasn't changed, it's the same one Hangouts has always used.

sup

Think he's talking about the contact icons.

Damir Pinter

will this work on older versions of android (like 4.1,4.2) or just android L? pls somebody

pfmiller

Of course L isn't required, L hasn't even been released yet!

Stephen McCoy

Sending GV SMS still isn't an option for me with this updated APK. No options available in settings, etc.
What gives? :(

DemandTrialByCombat

Same here! :(

CoreRooted

You have to wait for Google to upgrade your GV account on the backend. There is no timetable or release time-frame for the roll-out that has been given to users. It happens when it happens. Many of us are still waiting.

NWSD

Does anyone know if GV will text sms over wifi after the update? At work I have my phone on airplane but wifi on. So hangouts doesn't work over wifi but GV does. Hoping this remains the same after merging them.

CoreRooted

Chances are that it is not going to work anymore. A lot of employers block hangouts (both as a named app and the ports it uses) at the firewall level. Since GV is part of the Hangouts platform now, the same ports will be used and therefore blocked.

Ali

GV has always allowed sms over wifi away from home.

NWSD

Yes, I know. But I was wondering if sms over wifi was still there after the merger between GV and hangouts.

landmarkcm

Gotta love the internet for sites & help like this! I woke up today thinking the play store would show my hangouts app update. But nope still on the older version, But the apk here works great! Placed a call over wifi using hangouts & it works because I put the phone in airplane mode to be sure. :)

bort118

How does it look on Android L? (status bar & recents colour)

Chika

So do we still need the old GV app? The sooner I can toss it the better.

Hector Diaz

Working just fine. Thanks Google

TJ

Odd, I got the notification to merge Hangouts and Google Voice. Was working yesterday fine. Now today all my texts are going to my Google Voice app again and going to the Google Voice site doesn't show the message about Hangouts. Anyone else experience this?

So is anyone else having this bug? Keyboard will remain on screen when home button is pressed. The only way to avoid that from happening is to press back to minimize the keyboard and then press the home button so that the keyboard does not appear on the home screen. Seen this on the GS4 and HTC One m8 with swiftkey (on the gs4) and the oem keyboard (on the m8)

Tony

So is there 100% support for short codes (send and receive) and reliable support for group MMS messages?

Also can you guys do a comparison between sending MMS from a Gvoice number to another number (with or without the new Hangouts and with or without GVoice on the receiving end). As well as someone on an iPhone or something.

Still google dialer (and hangouts) REFUSES TO USE THE DAMN PICTURE THAT IS SYNCED WITH THE ACCOUNT IN THE FRIGGIN "PEOPLE" APP.

All other SMS programs respect that picture.
All other dialers respect that picture.
All other contact management programs respect that picture.

All other programs respect the fact that I use Ubersync to import my facebook contacts and use their picture as picture for the contact by joining the two of them.

So, much like Hangouts SMS,

sorry Google. Close but no cigar.

Luxferro

It's a new app and function, give them some time to properly tune up cosmetic stuff... at least you get VOIP calls now.

Philip Alexander Hassialis

Well, depends really. If all I wanted was VOIP I would probably use Viber. What I want is a better dialer, a dialer that also can respect bilingual users and names (some of my contacts are English but most are Greek) so it would let me search from the keypad for both English and Greek simultaneously.
Also, concerning contact pics, to add insult to injury, when I did try the dialer, I ended up with phoning a person without a contact pic but when the in call screen appeared, it used the "people" contact pic (reminding you that I have linked the contact to a FB ubersynced contact).

I mkean - right now we have a "phone" app, or "dialer" or however it is called. The classic app to make your smartphone do what mobile phones used to: do phone calls. So, is Hangouts now only a new app for Google Voice or does it really replace the old "dialer" or "phone" or whatever app? (sorry, it's hard to describe)

pfmiller

Yeah, Hangouts is only for making calls with your Voice number. You can't use it to make calls with your cellular number.

YuuriAyano

I'm from the Philippines, does this mean I can call users in the US directly for FREE?

Luxferro

no. international calls cost money.

pfmiller

Yeah, calling the US internationally is 1¢ per minute.

SHoTTa35

No they are wrong. You can call all US number for free. I'm in Germany and can call US and Canada for free. This is however if you have a US Google voice number as I do but that's cuz I'm from the US as well and got my number years ago. I would assume everyone does tho as its never been available outside the US I thought?

So with your us number you can call other us numbers for free from anywhere in the world.

Nick Yarosz

Maybe someone can help me out here. Did Google Voice ever provide "voicemail" services for your cell number (in addition to your Google Voice number) or has it always only ever been for your Google Voice number?

itsgonnalast

That's an interesting question. On Nexus phones the dialer (non-Hangouts) has an option to specify the voicemail provider, and here I use Google Voice. I don't use my carrier number though, so I'm not sure if Voice intercepts voicemail for this number.

garretmcgrawhanson

Yes. During the GV app setup it prompts you to forward your voicemails to GV instead of your carrier's voicemail. (It's a device setting, and not all phones and carriers support it however)

Some people use GV for this feature exclusively, and don't use a GV number at all.

Nick Yarosz

I thought so, thanks for the reply. I had my AT&T number on my Moto X setup to route voicemails through GV. Does anyone know if this has this been folded into the new Hangouts integration or left behind for now? Or as Garret mentioned do I just need to find it in the device settings somewhere?

Randy Strye

I never got the prompt, but i suddenly started getting my gv messages to hangouts! /ishappy

Has anyone else notice this triggering Google Play Services to have massive battery drain?

live for everyone

It's baaaaack! ;)

jcopernicus

The voice integration is ridiculous.

You can't change numbers on the fly without going into settings to deactivate it. Absurd.

Randy Strye

hmm i can't figure out how to initiate a conversation with your cell number but it will reply with your cell number if someone else initiates the conversation

Steve M

I'm new to GV and have a question. I got a GV number, but it's not associated with any of my cell phone numbers at the moment, I've installed Hangouts 2.3 and the dialer on my phone, I can use Hangouts to call out, but i don't receive incomimg calls when I use my wife's phone to call my GV number, I have checked the "allowing incoming calls" option in Hangouts, is it something else I need to configure in order to receive incoming calls? Thanks.

Smashley

Just got the integration invite on 2013 N7!

tzoller

Voice quality is terrible.

mwolverine

Can someone who has this explain to me if this merger would mean that international calls will route through hangouts instead of google voice (it is set to do the latter right now)? Otherwise, would I need to use the hangouts dialer, or does this mean I still require the google voice app?

tim242

Hangouts dialer. Uninstall that C
Voice app!

Paul Monroe, Jr.

Well, I couldn't be more pissed right now that my wife dropped and cracked the screen of my nexus 5 smh

How do I send a text from my Google Voice number? I got the prompt to merger Google Voice texting with Hangouts but there is no option to actually text from my GV number. I assumed it would be in the bottom right where I chooses Hangouts message vs SMS from my carrier but it's not an option. Anyone else have success?

tim242

That's where you choose. But, I don't have carrier SMS enabled.

Justin S

Thats the thing, you cant choose

tim242

If I click a name in my contacts, it defaults to my GV number. If they have Hangouts, it let's you choose between the two. I don't have carrier SMS linked to Hangouts, so that may be the difference.

Justin S

Yes that works, but it is indeed the carrier number we are talking about, but since you dont have one i guess you couldnt replicate it

tim242

Go into settings, choose smart reply in the "send SMS from". That is the best option I can find. It will send your message from the last number you used with that contact. It's janky, but better than nothing.

tim242

I see you already saw that. Oops!

SHoTTa35

Just click the plus sign then tap the phone number and you will send a SMS from your gv.

Justin S

Thats the thing its no why to choose between the 2 on the fly. If I have an exiting contact that I never texted, and I have on smart reply. My GV number is the only option, there is no why to use my mobile number unless i hard set it.

FormerYooper

WTF? It says Hangouts 2.3 is not compatible with my device! Have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. Anyone else with this issue?

Smashley

Not to be a dick but first problem: Buying Samsung Galaxy Tab 3

tim242

You are a dick.

Smashley

Yeah. :(

tim242

It's OK though, this time. Turn that :( upside down : )

Justin S

Seem there is no way to choose sms between your GV and Mobile number on the fly. You either hard set it between the 2, or only use you GV if you never text the contact. If you have texted the contact once before, and have smart reply set, it will use the last number you texted them from.

Jimi

Ahh......I just realized this as well. This sucks. I was so looking forward to this integration but it seems that it is nowhere near ideal. I think I'm gonna opt out of the integration for now until the next update.

Justin S

Same. I like the idea, but I dont want to be force to use my GV number to text first time contacts

Jimi

I love Android all the way but I must admit that iMessage is one thing that Apple has implemented way better than Google

Randy Strye

*edit* disregard

Justin S

Yea that what I mean by "hard setting it" But I would prefer an on the fly switch rather than having to go into the setting for every new text

Randy Strye

seems you replied before i realized that and edited my post... sorry! :(
but yeah, i'd prefer to see something that i can switch between within a thread

Justin S

:(

Jimi

I'm all for the all in one concept but I can't say that I dig the additional dialer app. It seems contradicting.

Justin S

Yea, I like the separation, because I like to see the callers number but I also like to know if they are calling my GV or carrier number.

For dialing keep the GV app on your phone to prompt you in the stock dialer.

DirkBelig

Since setting up Hangouts and the Dialer, now when I receive calls, the Hangouts app starts ringing about a second ahead of my phone's phone app. First the Hangouts ringtone, then my selected ringtone. When I answer, Hangouts puts a notification that I missed a call. I just tried calling my phone from my work line and after rejecting the call with the phone app, the Hangouts app kept ringing until I rejected that, too. I haven't merged the two yet because I haven't received the blue box yet. What's causing this? TIA.

Justin S

Go into your GV settings via the webpage or GV app, and turn off Forwarding to you Carrier number

DirkBelig

Tried that and now it just rings Hangouts meaning my custom ringtones for various contacts, etc are gone. Unacceptable.

I forgot to mention in my OP that I use Straight Talk AT&T meaning GV has always been forwarding to the cell's number. When I first got GV it was to be a business # back when I was still on Sprint. My g/f used it to cut down on calling around at home then cell looking for me - one number got me. After switching from Trudge to ST and Nexus phones, I ported the Sprint # as my primary GV # and kept the GV # (on my biz cards) as a secondary. I'm guessing this circle jerk of a setup may be a factor in the problem.

Steve M

Can you change the incoming phone call ringtones in Hangouts? if yes, how? Thanks.

gnote

Once you've text someone in hangouts, hit the menu > people and options... and you will have the option to change both the chat message sound and ringtone.

JD1031

I think I was able to force it. I never got the prompt to merge and my hangouts settings never had any GV# options other than the phone calls. I signed into gmail on my computer and on the bottom left i clicked the hangouts icon. I then clicked my account name with the little arrow next to it, scrolled down and the option to check off "receive SMS and voicemails in hangouts" was there. I looked at my phone and there was still nothing. I tried signing in and out of my account on both my phone and computer and 5 mins later i went to my hangouts settings on my phone and it was there.

This worked for everyone I know that tried it

Steve M

It worked for me too. Thank you.

Wajahat Zafer

Got the merge notification on hangouts app just few minutes ago..All voice, sms and voicemail is now integrated.

oldredfox

Just got an update for Google Voice apk to build 0.4.6.1. No change info was listed in the play store for the update. But seems like one more thing google is rolling out.

gotitogether

I also got the same update a couple of hours ago...guess they must've left out somethin, or maybe it's just a quick bug fix? Anyway, you're right about the changelog though. It didn't reveal anything at all and I haven't noticed anything different yet.

David Schamis

Hangouts 2.3 is crashing like crazy for me - have seen other suggest to uninstall updates to Google Play Services but I can't seem to disable it on my Oneplus One - anyone have any good ideas? This is making me nuts!

BTW - GV integration is working fine (when the app isn't crashing).

sup

Any way to change the Hangouts dialer ringtone?

Steve M

+1.

patrick

So if I make a call through my gv # or receive a call to my gv #, will it use my min or data? Also on my gs4 phone contacts list , I no longer have the option to use how I want to text someone(gv or phone #) I'd have to go to hangouts app myself and text the person through there. Any way to get this option?

atomizer123

I just received the server side integration of GV and hangouts sms today..
Seems like it is finally being rolled out for all the masses..

Nathan Milgram

Is there a way to listen to voicemail through the earpiece using the hangouts app? I can only figure out how to play them through the main speakers.

Loki

The new interface is just bullcrap. I don't care for voice calls, it's what my phone is for. Not gonna update.

Joris Griffioen

Fug city.

sexymotherfakir

So got the integration notification this morning and have been playing with it for a little bit.

The two rings at the same time is a bit of a problem but it's to be expected. Having experimented with other VOIP apps you pretty much always have the same problem. I didn't find it that much of a problem since I could easily just pull down the notification shade and select which one to answer. Being able to tell that it's my Google Voice number that is being called and not my provider number is worth the inconvenience. The only problem with this is calls that come in when the phone is locked since there will be no way to answer Hangouts after the actual phone has started ringing. I know some people are saying to just not forward your GV number to your provider number but there are times when you might not have data access but do have voice.

Another thing is that if you decline the call in Hangouts it doesn't go straight to voicemail like if you had declined the call from your phone.

Plus it might be worth keeping the Google Voice app around if simply for the ability to set "Do Not Disturb." You can snooze notifications in Hangouts but doesn't have the ability to send straight to voicemail.

All and all it's a start.

patrick

still no mms on GV from ATT and vzw lines? any else have this issue?

Fresh2infinity

soooo you have to go though the settigns to toggle google voice number and regular vzw number...no way to choose in cnversation like we could with sms and hangouts before.....that blows

Steven Anthony Scott

Yes, you can select it in the conversation. Also, you can pick which one to respond from by default, and there is an option to auto-select based on where the message came from.

oldredfox

hangouts v 2.3.75589790 just got pushed out to me, not seeing any obvious differences from the apk version I got off here.

Lou Romero

How do I access my archived messages grr

Brian

Made answering calls on my S5 so much slower. And hate no ringtones. Texting also awkward and slower.